Leg locking latch for ironing tables



July 10, 1951 G. Q. MILLER 2,560,300

LEG LOCKING LATCH FOR IRONING TABLES iled June 1s, 194e Patented July 10, y1951 s PATENT cris 4 Claims.

My invention relates to ironing tables.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved ironing table of the type comprising a top, spaced front and rear leg units swingably mounted on said top, means connecting said leg units for movement in unison from a folded to an extended position, means for holding said leg units in extended position comprising a brace pivotally secured at one end to one of said leg units, and a guide mounted underneath said top extending parallel rthereto and longitudinally thereof for slidably guiding the other end of said brace in the movement of the leg units from open to closed position, and vice versa, which will be simple, durable, and inexpensive in construction and efficient and easily operated in use. Y

A further object is to provide such a construction making use of a long lever latch having one end readily accessible for releasing operation and its other end terminating in a latch for co-operation with a guided portion of the brace.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and claims.

In the drawings, in which an embodiment of my invention is shown,

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an ironing table; Y

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the table in folded position;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section of the top and co-operating parts; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged View of a portion of the under side of the top showing portions of the latch. n

The ironing table shown in the drawing comprises a top I, spaced front and rear metal leg units Z and 3 swingably mounted on said top for movement from a folded to an extended position, means for holding saidleg units in extended position comprising a metal brace e pivotally secured at one end at 5 to said rear leg unit "i, a metal guide 6 mounted underneath said top extending parallel thereto and longitudinally thereof for slidably guiding the other end 1 of said brace 4 in the movement of the leg units from open to closed position, and vice versa, a lever latch 8 pivotally mounted on a bracket 9 secured to the under side of the top having a hook-like latch end I0 engageable by the end 'I of the brace as it slides between the guide 6 and the top I, and a coil torsion spring Il biasing the lever latch to latching position.

The rear leg unit comprises a pair of legs pivotally mounted on brackets I 3 secured to the under side of the top. The axes of these legs are oblique to each other and at such an angle that when folded the legs will lie adjacent and parallel to the sidesA of the top and so that when folded their lower ends will spread out so as to provide a wide base when in position of use.

The front leg unit comprises a U-shaped metal rod, the ends of the arms of which are pivotally mounted at I4 on a bracket secured to the under side of the top, and the central connecting portion I5 of which provides a foot for the leg, which foot may be provided with a suitable cushioning sleeve or pad, if desired.

The front and rear leg units 2 and 3 are relatively braced and connected so as to move simultaneously in the folding and extending movement of the legs by means of a pair of metal connecting links or braces I, connected at their lower ends at I5 to the front leg unit 2 and at their upper endsr at 5 to an intermediate portion of the rear leg unit 3. It will be noted that these connecting rods or braces I6 are pivoted to the front leg so as to lie inside the U-shaped front leg unit 2.

The brace 4 which supports the leg units and holds them in extended position comprises a U- shaped metal rod, the ends of the arms of which are pivotally connected to the rear legs so as to lie inside of the connecting links to facilitate the folding operation of the legs. The guide S for the end of the brace comprises a metal strap secured at I1 to the lower side of the top and spaced from the top so that the medial connecting portion 1 of the U-shaped brace 4 can slide in the space between the guide and the under side of the top.

The latch lever may be a metal bar having a strip riveted thereto to provide a fork I8 straddling the guide 6 to maintain alignment. The arms of this fork are shaped to provide a pair of hook-like latch members located in the path of the guided portion 'I of the brace. As the guided portion 1 moves from the dotted-line position shown in Fig. 3 to the full-line position, it will engage the slopingedges I9 of the latch members, pushing them down from the full-line position shown to the dotted-line position. When the guided portion 1 moves past the hook portions of the latch members, the spring li will cause down. The end of the lever latch adjacent the against a side wall, or the like.

Vrear'end of the'board is shaped to form a loop Vhandle 2| by means of which the latch lever maybe operated. This loop handle may also be used for hanging the board on a wall hook.

The loop handle may be used for hanging the table up whenvin folded condition by slipping the loop over a suspension hook or the like. Also the table` can be stood on end when not in use and in folded condition by'resting the foot portion on a support and leaning the table up This keeps the 3 lower end of the table top up out of contact with theloor.

When the board is in the set-up position of Figure 1, the slidable end l of the brace may be released to enable the board to be folded by placing the heel of the hand on the upper rear end of the top l, reaching under the table with the ngers and pulling up on the loop handle 2|. This will cause the hooked fork i8 to move downwardly to release the guided portion l to enable the table to be folded to the position shown in Fig. 2.

Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art and it is desired, therefore, that the invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentis:

1. An ironing table comprising a top, spaced front and'rear leg units swingably'mounted on said top, means connecting said leg units for .movement in unison from a folded to an extended position, means for holding said leg units in extended position comprising a brace'pivotally secured at one end toone of said leg units, a guide mounted underneath said top extend,- ing parallel thereto and longitudinally thereof for slidably guiding the other end ofsaid brace in the movement of the leg units from open to closed position, and vice versa, "a lever ylatch eX- tending underneath, adjacent and'l'ongitudinally of the table having an intermediate portion ful'- crumed on said top at an intermediate portion of the top and having a rhook-like latch end engageableby the guided end of said brace in its movement to force said hook-like end away from the top to enable the' guided end to pass and to move to hooked latching position, the other end of said lever being adjacent an'end edge of the top, means biasing said leverv to move to latch'- ing position, and guide means straddling said lever latch adjacent the latching end for main- 'taining alignment, the guided end of said brace being a substantial distance forward of the mounting of that leg unit'to` which the brace is attached.

2. An ironing table comprising a top, spaced' front and rear leg units swingably mounted on saidY top, means connecting said leg units for movement in unison from a folded to an extended position, means for holding said leg units in extended position comprising a brace pivotally secured at one end to one of said leg units, a guide mounted underneath said top extendingl parallel thereto and longitudinally thereof for slidably guiding the other end of said brace in the movement of the leg units from open to closed position, and vice versa, a lever latch extending underneath, adjacent and longitudinally of the table having an intermediate portion fulcrumed on said top at an intermediate portion of the top and having a hook-like latch end engageable by the guided end of said brace in its movement to force said hook-like end away from the top to enable the guided end to `pass and to move to hooked latching position, the other end of said lever being adjacent anv end edge of the top, means biasing said lever to move to latching position, and guide means straddling said lever latch adjacent the latching end for maintaining alignment, said latch end comprising a pair of latch members straddling saidy guide for maintaining alignment, the guided end of said brace being a substantialdistance forward of the mounting of that leg unit to which the brace is attached.

3. A11 ironing table comprising a top, spaced front and rear leg units swingably mounted on said top, means connecting said leg units for movement in unison from a folded to an eX- tended position, means for holding said leg units in extended position comprising a brace pivotally secured at one end to one of said leg units, a guide mounted underneath said top extending parallel thereto and longitudinally thereof for slidably guiding the other end of said brace in the movement kof the leg units from open to closed position, and vice versa, a lever latchV extending underneath, adjacent and longitudinally of the table having an intermediate portion fulcrumed on said top at an intermediate portion of the top and having a hook-like latch end engageable by the guided end of saidvbrace in itsv movement to force said hook-like` end away from the top to enable the guided end to pass and to move to hooked latching position, the other end of said lever being adjacent an end edge of the top, means biasing said lever to move to latching position, and guide means straddling said lever latch adjacent said latching end for maintaining alignment, the guided endof said brace being a substantial distance forward of the mounting of that leg unit to which the brace is attached. f

4. An ironing table comprising a top, legunits mounted on said top for movement in unison from a folded to an extended position, means for holding said leg units in extended position comprising a guided member secured toY one of said leg units, a guide mounted underneath said top extending parallel thereto and longitudinally thereof for' slidably guiding said -guided member in the movement of the leg units from open to closed position, and vice versa, a lever latch extending underneath, adjacent and longitudinally of the'table having an intermedia-te portion fulcrumed on said top at an intermediate. portion of the top and having a hook-like latch'end'engageable by said guided memberV inv itsmovement to force Vsaid hook-like endaway from the top to enable the guided memberV to pass` and` to move to hooked latching position, the other end of said lever being adjacent an-end` edge of the top, means biasing said 4lever to move to Vlatching position, and guide means straddling said lever latchadjacent the latching end forA maintaining-alignment, one ofsaid leg units being pivot- Aally connected to said top adjacent an end thereof, said -gu-ided member `being connected with said rearwardly connected unit to move forwardly along said guide away from said pivotal connection in the folding movementof4 the legunits and being located a substantial'distance forwardly of said pivotal connection when in latched position.

GUY O. MILLER.

REFERENCES. CITED n The followingreferences are of recordgin the file of this patent:

UNITED `STATES PATENTS Numb er 

